Combined stuffing box and shaft bearing



Sept. 25, 192s. 1,685,381

J. O. SMITH COMBINED STUFFING BOX AND SHAFT BEARING Filed March 25, 1927 E11/aufm? Patented Sept. 25, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFCE.

JOHN 0. SMITH, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A SSIGNGR TO THE USON-VATON COM- PANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

COMBINED STUFFING BOX AND SHAFT BEARING.

Application filed March 23, 1927. Serial No. 177,491.

y This invention relates to a combined stufling box and shaft bearing particularly adapted for use with propeller shafts of mtor boats, the present invention being an imjngovement Upon the device disclosed in my prior latent No. 1,025,88, granted May 7,

1912, in which there was disclosed a combined stulling box and shaft bearing which not only prevents leakage but which serves as an effective universal hearing allowing freedom of movement to the shaft even in the absence of true shatt alignment.

1n my prior patent, above reiterred to, there is disclosed a bearing provided with spherical seats clamped between spherical seats on a fixed sleeve and gland. YWhen the gland is tight the bearing is ell'ectuallj,v clamped and held against turning movement with the shaft but if the gland should work loose and the shaft should be permitted to operate for an extended period ot time without retightening the gland there is an objectionable amount of wear on the spherical seats, due to rotation ot the bearing.

The present invention has for its object to providt means tor positively `preventing rotation el the shaft bearing so that danger of objectionable wear on the bearing is eliminated. j

The following description and the accompanying drawings set forth in detail certain means embodying the invention, the dis closed means, however, constituting but one ot' the various mechanical ormsin which the principle oit the invention may be enijiiloyed.

Reference .should be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specitication, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional View of a portion otl a hoat showing the propeller shaft in elevation ind the combined stalling boX and shat't bearng in section.

2 is a plan view of the portion ol the stalling bor; which is liXed to the shaft log.

Fig is an end elevation of one ot' the bearing members.

L1 is a` side elevation of one of the bearing members.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar' to 1 showing the bearing locked to the gland instead ot to the fixed sleeve.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 10 designates the propeller shaft which passes through shaft log 11 which may be of any suitable shape or construction. At

the point where the soatt ein( ges from the shaft log on the ,interior ol the `1boat there is provided a stalling box consistingr oi" a sleeve 12 having a flange 12 secured to the log 1l by means of bolts 13 and a gland or sleevie 14 adjustable on the sleeve 12, the sleeve 12 being externally tl'n'eadod and the gland lei being internally threaded and adapted to be screwed onto the sleeve 12. The shaft 10 passes freely througa the sleeve and gland and is rotatable in a bearing 'termed otbseparable end members 15 and 16 and an intermediate paclting 1.7. The sleeve 12 and gl and 14 are provided near their ends with oppositely disposed spherical curved seats 12b and lei, and the bearing members 15 and 16 are provided with spherically curver bearing heads 15L and 1S against which the curved seats 12b and las engage. The gland may he held in any desired position of adjustment by moans ot ay jam net 18 which is screwed onto the threaded exterior ot the sleeve l2 and is adapted to engage the inner end ole the gland 14. To provide ample bearing surtaces tor the shaiit 10 the bearing members 1 5 and 11S are preliarably provided with tubular extern sions 15b and 16" which have an external diameter less than the internal diameters of the sleeve 12 and gland let, so that the bearing can rock within the stnliing bon. rlhe bearingl members 15 and 16 are separate members not n'iechanically connected and are clamped against opposite sides ot the packing 17 when the gland 14 'is tightened on the sleeve 12. The opposed end laces ont the members 15 and 16 are pielerahly termed on a taper so that the space between said members is great* er adjacent, the shaitt. Thus it will be seen that when the gland 1li `is tightened or adjusted to proper position not only7 is universal shaft movement permitted but the packing material. is squeezed against the shaft so tightly that the leakage et water along the shaft is prevented. At the same time the spherical bearing surifaces which are accurately machined and tightly clamped together prevent leakage past the exterior ot Vthe bearing. j

It rotative movement is permitted between the bearing and stalling box with the gland 1d loose the accurate tit between the spherical bearing surfaces is destroyed and leakage may occur past the bearing. The present invention aims to prevent such wear between the bearing suriaces by positively loo lll)

locking the bearing against rotative movement with the stutlin g box. rllo this end one ot the bearing members is provided with an outwardly projecting lug 19 which lits in a longitudinal groove 20 'in the outer end ot' `the sleeve l2, as shown in Fig. l, or in a similar groove 2l in the outer end ot the gland, as shown in Fig. 5. In order to prevent relative rotation between the bearing members l and '16 the inner tapered 'faces ot' these members are provided with radially disposed grooves 22 into which the packing material is forced `when the packing is squeezed between the bearing members The packing thus 'forms an interlock between the bearing members. 4when the bearing members are clamped together by tightening the gland la.

As above stated, the lug 19 may be enga ged either with a groove in the sleeve l2 or with a groove in the gland 11i and in either ease the bearing is positively locked against turning movei'nentwithin the stull'ing box, therebcing siil'licient clearance between the lug 19 and the vbottom ot the groove to permit the necessary rocking movement o1c the bea ring in its spherleal seat. The engagement ot the lug 19 with the groove 2l ot the gland, as shown in Fig.

5, has'the` advantage that a turning movement of the bearing with the shatt will automatically tighten thegland la until the bearing `member is again tightly clamped between the gland and fixed sleeve, the pitch oli the threads being so arranged that the gland is tightened by turning movement in thedirection ot rotation ot the sha'lt.

Having thus described by invention, what I claim is:

1; ln combination, a stu'lting box comprisinga sleeve adapted to have a shatt extend therethrough and a gland 'adjustable on said sleeve, said 'sleeve and gland havinga pair ot opposed annular seats, a bearing tor the shaft comprising two separate members, interlocked with eachother, each provided with a `spherically curved 'portion engaging one ot said seats and havin g a packingbetween them, and means interposed between the stulting box and bearing 'for locking the bearing to a part "ot' the stalling box.

`vided with a spherically curved portion engaging one ot said seats and having a packing between them, said bearing members having the opposed taees thereof which engage the packing provided with depressions to hold the packing and bearing members against relative kturningmovement, and means interposed between one -ot said bearing m-ei'nbers and the stu'tting box :lor locking the bearing `me1nbers to' apart ot 'the stelling box.

i between them, said bearing menibers having the o a )osed t'aces thereof which enoao'e the D D i r `packing provided'wii'h del'iressions to hold the packing andbearing'members against relative turning movement, said stutling box and one ot said bearing men'ibers having interengagin parts which lock the bearing member against turning relative to' a pa'rt ot said stuling box but which permit rocking movement ot the bearing in thejstutl'ing box.

si.V In combination, a stutting box compris-I a sleeve adapted'to have a shattextend therethrough and a lgland adjustable on said sleeve said sleeve and 0land havine a Jair oli y 9 D b i opposed annular seats, a bearing 'tor the shaft comprisii'ig two separate members, each provided with a spherically curved portion engaging one ot said sez ts and having a packing between them, said bearirng, members having the opposed faces thereot which engage the packing provided with deprcflisions to hold the packing and bearing members against relative turning movement, said stutlin g box 'and one oit the bearing members having a lug and groove interengagement for holding` the bearing member against turning 'relatively `to a part ot' the stuliing box.

ln combination, stutling box comprising a sleeve adapted to have a `shaft extend therethrough and a glandadjustable on said sleeve, said sleeve and gland havinga pair ot opposed annular seats, a bearing tor hc sbatt comprising two separate men'ibers, each providedwith a spherieally curved portion engaging one ot said seats and having a packing between them, and means connecting said glanrl to one ot said bearing members t'or automatically tightening the glanduiinn a turning movement of the bearing member"with the shalt.

. In testimony whereoit l hereunto aiiixmy signature. i v t JOHN O.` SMI'llfl. 

